PlutoVerse: Tirek's Arc
by Vchart920
Summary: The Elements of Harmony haven't been needed in such a long time and still sit in their place at the Tree of Harmony. It's been many years since Equestria has been at peace. However, Queen Celestia and Luna have taken notice of things yet to come and have debated every option they could take. Tirek was a heavy risk, but it was one they needed to take.
1. Tirek's Release

**AN: This is a story based around my Next Gen verse. The link won't work to be able to show what Celestia and Luna look like in this story. You can either ask or go to my Deviantart folders under 'Next Gen' at Vchart920**

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Celestia and Luna stood in front of a locked door sealed off with magic. Celestia stood stoic, thinking over her decision as well as her mistakes. Luna seemed nervous, tapping her hooves in anticipation.

"Tia, are you sure about this? I understand your concern, but of all the people?"

Celestia's stern face wavered a little with anxious anticipation. "I have been thinking about this for some time, Luna. I fear it may be the only way. If we had more time, I would think more on it. That's no longer an option." Celestia looked at Luna and her horn glowed. The yellow magic pulsated and danced, as if mirroring her emotions. Luna followed suit and the magic was aimed to the door. The mixes of magic enveloped the doorway which then transformed into a portal that revealed a dull violet landscape. Thick spires jutted from the ground, each housing some sort of beast or creature caged on top of it.

The two alicorns stepped through the barrier and made their way to the massive iron gates. The guardian lay in front of it, resting two of its three heads. The creature looked to the alicorns and smiled cheerfully, as much as a hound could. His tail wagged in excitement as they approached.

Celestia smiled to the creature and rubbed his head. "Good evening, Cerberus. I'm glad to see all is well here."

The creature whined in anticipation of Celestia's affection. Luna focused on the realm around them, taking in details in a futile attempt to try to quell her growing nerves. Her worried mind created all sorts of circumstances if this failed. And yet, she trusted her sister even with her nagging worries.

"We shouldn't be here too long, so let's make this quick." The elder sister moved to the gate and opened it. They both stepped through and it shut and locked behind them, the metallic thump of the gate echoed all over.

The two paced up the nearest path. During the approach to the top, Luna took steady breaths to compose herself. Fear and anxiety were the last emotions she wanted to express to their prisoner, yet she couldn't seem to shake them.

The cage came into view at the top, the centaur's back greeted the two. His ears twitched with the unmistakable sound of hoofsteps approaching. He turned his head to face them and his weary eyes gave a feeble attempt to glare at the two females. "And what brings you here?" His voice sounded hoarse and dry, worn down over many years, unused. The tone of his voice gave off dull spite yet almost hinted defeat.

Celestia started. "This is hard for us to say due to your past. We want to take you out of Tartarus and bring you back into the world above."

Tirek gritted his teeth and his glare hardened. Many choice words floated in his head that he wanted to say, but he held his tongue. He was a blind fool during the last escape, power hungry and cocky. That mistake would not be made twice. "I am no fool. What are you planning?"

Luna had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his statement. "We decided, since we know you want out of this place so desperately, that-"

"That you think you can reform me?" Luna shot him a glare. "Don't look at me like that. No use beating around the damn bush."

The two alicorns looked at each other. "Yes, that is our goal."

Celestia added, "Or at least hope you can learn to be a decent person."

Tirek scoffed. Before he could utter a word, Luna spat at him, breaking her composure, "We are being kind to you and giving you a choice, Tirek. You either take it or rot here for the rest of your pitiful existence!"

Luna's words took the other two by surprise. "Luna!" Celestia hissed. Tirek only raised his brow, his curiosity heightened. Could he work with this and figure a way out? If so, it would take plenty of time, but patience was the key no matter how much it pained him. A patient person he was not.

"Very well, I will take your offer," Tirek said.

Luna and Celestia both looked at him, not surprised. They expected his hasty acceptance. "And do not think of escaping. We've made plenty of safety measures to ensure your best cooperation."

Tirek narrowed his eyes at the two sisters. "And those are…?"

Celestia said, "We hope you won't have to find out. There will be rules that we must go over. But that will have to wait until later. We don't need to be keeping Twilight and her friends waiting any longer."

Tirek growled at the thought of seeing those brats again. It had been years, yet, a deep seeded hatred burned within his belly fueled by a grudge which he only hoped to please.

Celestia took out some bracers and clamped then to Tirek's arms. Magic flowed through him, magic that was now his own and it allowed him to gain his old form thousands of years ago, before all this started. His height beat Celestia by mere inches.

"This gives you enough magic to keep that form, but it will take no more," Celestia explained. "And if you take any magic from anyone, it'll hurt you and drain that magic out."

Tirek examined the bracers, turning over his arms. The silver metal felt like ice against his skin, reminding him of the warm air that heated Tartarus. A simple design crossed over the metal giving off a braided look. At least they didn't look ridiculous. "Very well. Get me out of here."


	2. The Choice

"What're we doing here waiting around for anyway?" Dash asked with a bored look on her face. The world around her was turned upside down as she lay across AJ's back. "It's been so long already!"

Twilight wanted to tell her to be patient for the fourth time, but she had a point. They had waited for quite some time now. She gave a glance over to her other pegasus friend, wondering how she would fair with her swollen stomach. The mare held a delightful conversation with Pinkie. A baby shower being the main focus between the two as Fluttershy's second child planned to be due the next month.

Twilight tapped her chin and looked to the lighter pink earth pony that rested on Luna's throne. "Diamond Tiara, would you have any clue where the queens might have gone?" Within the last couple years, Luna and Celestia had gotten into relationships. Although, Luna had gotten married in this time frame. Due to this, and other events, they both decided to take on the roles of queens.

The young pony perked up at the sound of her name. "Huh? Uh, Luna said she doesn't want anyone else knowing right now. The only reason I know about it is because has a tendency to pace and rant to my father. Especially when the Houses do something stupid… again." She rolled her eyes to emphasize her point. "Though, I'm not exactly sure what they're planning."

Rainbow Dash groaned again. The words, "I had a date tonight," muttered through gritted teeth.

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Rainbow Dash," Rarity retorted. "You weren't the only one with important plans, I'll have you know. Some of us already have kids to take care of."

"Rarity, you're the only one without kids."

She retorted. "That doesn't mean you all don't."

Not too much longer past before the doors on one side of the thrones opened up. Celestia stepped through the doorway alone and the doors shut behind her. "I apologize for keeping you all waiting."

"We have our reasons, I assure you," Luna followed.

"Is everything alright, Celestia?" AJ asked, concerned at the tone the queen tried to hide. Everyone could sense the worry in Celestia's voice. They knew her too well that her false confidence was fruitless.

"Due to recent events, my sister and I have decided that…" Celestia paused. She looked away for a passing moment before back to the awaiting group. She wanted to state her thoughts in a more formal manner, but she knew it would only take longer. "We both are aware you will not like this news, but someone needs to be reformed. It will be no easy task, I assure you, but we both have faith that you will be able to succeed. You have with Discord, Tempest, and many others throughout the years."

"You hold a lot of faith in us, Queen Celestia," Fluttershy spoke up. "But… What if this turns out to be like Chrysalis or Tirek? They were unable to be reformed."

"Weeeelllll," Pinkie began, "Chrysalis hasn't been seen in a very long time. Who knows where she could even be at this point! And Tirek's a power-hungry, manipulative jerk that's stuck in Tartarus forever! So I doubt it's going to be either one of them."

"Funny you should mention that," Luna stated, stepping out of the way for Tirek to come into view. A collective gasp mirrored throughout the group. Fluttershy gave off a worried squeak and hid behind Pinkie who put a protective hoof around her.

Celestia opened her mouth to speak when Dash interjected. "No! There is no way we're going to have anything to do with him!" She snapped an angry hoof in his direction.

"Queen Celestia-" Twilight spoke up but Celestia held up a hoof to silence her. The purple alicorn pursed her lips reluctantly.

"We already know your concerns, as they are ours as well. Measures have been taken to ensure a problem won't happen again."

"What are we to do in this case?" Twilight once again spoke up.

"He's going to be staying in Ponyville with one of you." Luna stated with haste. "I must apologize, but you won't be able to choose which of you he stays with."

"You can't be serious!" Rarity exclaimed. "What do we do with this brute in one of our homes?!"

Tirek narrowed his eyes at the white unicorn. Her attitude and whiny voice was already pushing him away. Celestia turned back to glance to Tirek. "Choose wisely, Tirek."

He gave a low growl of annoyance and took a step forward. He examined all the ponies in front of him, looking over the ponies one by one, thinking over his options. One of them he ruled out almost immediately: Pinkie Pie. Remembering a few years back during his escape, Discord had told him about the mares here and there. The pink one was the most hyper of the six.

He passed, moving onto Twilight; the bookworm, the know-it-all. She seemed the most logical in the group and perhaps an easy choice. She did hold the title as princess of friendship after all. Putting her aside for now, his gaze wavered to the others.

Rainbow Dash glared at him. It was almost as threatening as her ego. He found it amusing. Competitive, brash, and mischievous. More like a pain in the ass, he thought to himself. The pegasus' disposition made her more trouble than she was worth.

Glancing over to the unicorn that insulted him, he glowered at her. She returned one back at him before she hmph'ed and turned her nose up. He rolled his eyes, not wanting to have to associate with her. Mostly due to that whiny voice of hers.

His attention turned to the pegasus behind Pinkie who, in turn, squeaked in fear again. Fluttershy, he knew, would be an easy target. And yet, one problem wormed its way into his thoughts like a rat scuttering in the wall: Discord. That fool rambled on nonstop about her. Though, he could potentially make an easy…. Wait, was she pregnant? Choosing her now became a hesitant decision with Discord's child in her. No wonder why she reeked of his scent.

And finally Applejack. Unlike the others, she didn't seem that phased. The years had toughened her demeanor and made her a stubborn foe. Tirek knew for a fact that if he choose her, he would have to deal with her family and that farm. What a joke that would be. Pass.

It appeared that Twilight was his only option. His fingers pinched and massaged the bridge of his nose. His eyes glanced one last time over all the others, hoping to find something to sway him. Something caught his eye. A gleam; one he knew all too well. A sudden gleam of fear in the eyes of the unicorn. He had to stop himself from smiling. Not only did she insult him, she was also afraid of him. How could he pass up this delicious opportunity?

Tirek crossed his arms and stared straight at her in hopes of intimidation. "Her. The unicorn." Rarity's eyes went wide and she let out a high pitched gasp. The others were equally as shocked.

Luna spoke up before anyone could retaliate, "Very well, then. You may all go home. We will have Tirek come in tomorrow to stay with you, Rarity."

The mares knew it would be no use arguing. They stood up and left, talking amongst each other after they left the throne room. Celestia glanced at Tirek before turning her gaze to the pink filly. "Diamond Tiara, could you please escort Tirek to the cafeteria. Now that he is out of Tartarus, I'm sure he'll work up an appetite soon."

The mare perked up at her name, snapping her out of her daze and also a bit of fear at the notion. "I, uh, yes, ma'am!" She hopped off Luna's throne. She took a few steps towards the doorway before turning back. "This way, sir." Tirek snorted but followed her regardless.

Luna shot a glare at her sister. "Tia!" she hissed.

"She will be fine, Luna. Tirek won't harm her."

"That is not what I'm worried about!" Luna stamped her hoof to emphasize her words. "The plan was for him to choose Twilight, not Rarity!"

"It is too late now, Luna. He's made his choice. If we have any chance at this, we can't go back on our word."

"Then we must prepare her for anything -"

Celestia interjected, "No, we mustn't. She must figure out how to do this herself and with the help of her friends."

Luna sighed in frustration. She knew her sister was right in her way of thinking, but she couldn't shake the growing worries that once again plagued her mind. It was just more to vent about to Rich later on. Perhaps he had some advice to calm her anxieties.


	3. Preparations

The hum of the sewing machine greeted Twilight as she opened the door to the Carousel Boutique. "I hope she hasn't been doing that all night," Spike commented, pushing past Twilight. A young filly snuggled up in his protective arms. The little filly, fittingly named Evening, bore a striking resemblance to Twilight. Though, she had a curved horn and large bat wings currently wrapped around Spike. Hearing the hum, her bright yellow, slitted eyes opened, still tired from waking her up so early.

"Rarity? Spike and I have come to help you move some stuff around," Twilight called from below.

Spike gave a good look around, taking a note at all the space they didn't have. "Wouldn't it have been easier if he stayed in your castle? It has a lot more room." The little alicorn yawned and jumped from Spike's arms hoping to find a better place to rest. Twilight didn't expect her to say anything, she was never talkative during her first hour or so waking up.

Twilight's voice mimicked her worried nature. "I wish we could, Spike. But what Celestia says, goes."

"Twilight, look around us. _Where_ is he going to even stay."

Spike had a good point. Over the years, the boutique has grown in its own ways and more and more space had gradually filled up. "We can figure it out, even if we have to add a new room to her boutique."

"It would probably be the only option, even if Rarity doesn't approve of it."

Twilight gave a nod. "Watch over Evening while I get Rarity." Twilight made her way up the stairs to Rarity's room. Upon reaching the door, she pushed it open and peered inside. The room was a horrid mess of cloth and other sewing materials, all of which were randomly strewn across the room. As Twilight assumed, she was there sitting at her desk pushing fabric through the machine. Rarity's focus was so fixated on her work that she didn't look up even though her ears moved to the sound of the door.

Twilight walked over to Rarity and sat down next to her. Dried mascara streaked down her face from her eyes and smeared here and there. Her mane was a ragged mess. Many a times had she seen Rarity stressed, and was grateful that this wasn't one of the worst moments. "How are you holding up?"

Rarity gave a stressed groan in response. "I don't _know_ , darling. There's this _brute_ that's going to be living with me in my boutique for _who knows how long_. I haven't the _slightest_ clue on how to feel about this." The sewing stopped and she planted her face in her hooves.

Twilight's face softened and placed a caring hoof on her shoulder. The slight shivering calmed slightly with her touch. "Your feelings are pretty valid. It's ok to feel worried and distressed. I'm actually surprised you aren't having a meltdown."

Rarity glanced to her, deep lines stretched across her face. "I was up all night plagued with worry about this. Applejack was kind enough to stay with me."

Twilight glanced around the room. "What time did she leave?"

Rarity perked up and joined Twilight in her observation. "I wasn't aware she did." She also took note of the awful state of her room. "Perhaps I should clean up." Her voice expressed the defeat her body felt. This was something she couldn't run away from, so she may as well do her best.

A pink aura wrapped itself around Twilight's horn, assisting Rarity clean up the mess. Many various fabrics, tools, and threads scattered themselves about the room. Rarity summoned up her magic to join in the cleaning.

Twilight found an unusual pile of cloth and picked it up in her magic. Doing so revealed the orange earth pony mentioned earlier fast asleep. "Applejack?"

The mare peeked her eyes open and squinted at the light. "Twilight?" Her voice was groggy. A low yawn resounded and her back stretched and cracked into place as she stood up. "Is it morning already?"

"Oh, darling," Rarity remarked, "We thought you left."

"You know I wouldn't leave you when you're having troubles." She brushed her hair straight as she's could before putting her hat on. "Is he here yet?"

Twilight folded several rolls of fabric and put them on one of the shelves. "Not yet. I wanted to get here early to make sure we had time to clean up and find a spot for him. Spike is downstairs with Evening right now."

"Well, that's one good thing. I always love seeing her." Rarity gave off a smile even though her eyes drooped.

They all walked to the door and headed downstairs. "Any idea if her father is going to come around?" AJ asked.

"I actually got a letter from him the other day."

"That's a shocker."

"I'm surprised as well. He explained to me that he has important business to attend to and he'd return when he it's all completed."

"That seems like a pathetic excuse to not be here for his child!" Rarity interjected.

"I'm aware, but Steward assured that it would be worth it, so I trust him to a degree."

"I still wouldn't get my hopes up."

The three of them walked downstairs where Spike was talking to a gray pegasus.

Evening perked up to them and addressed Twilight. "Mama, Uncle Steward came to help."

With Steward's sudden arrival, Twilight let out a surprised 'eep.'

The stallion appeared older, and was fit with a bushy mustache and eyebrows. His attire consisted of a butler's uniform, the chain of a pocket watch hanging out of one side. Evening was laying on top of this pony's head, smiling. His mustache lifted with his smile. "Good morning, Miss Sparkle."

Spike and Steward both looked at the group, Spike's face getting a little worried seeing Rarity. "Ooh, you stayed up all night didn't you?" Rarity only gave a tired groan in response.

"Good morning, Miss Rarity, I see Sir Tirek's stay is still on your mind." Steward spoke in a friendly manner. Rarity groaned more in defeat at the reminder. Steward took notice and before she could say anything, offered, "Shall I make you some tea?"

"That would be lovely, darling." Rarity muttered.

"Hey, Twilight, how about you and I get started and give Rarity some time to rest?" AJ offered.

Twilight gave an annoyed 'hmmmm'. Twilight hated to admit it, but she was hoping she could sneak away from the butler. She realized that would be a harder task than she first thought. "Yeah. We need to make room for a bed and a place for any items he may have received. I might be able to magically alter the doorways to accommodate."

Applejack went to moving some furniture around while Twilight worked on the doors. They only had a few hours to prepare and it would be better if they had everything set up right away before he got there.

Moments later, Twilight could hear Rarity's signature crying. Curious, she poked her head around the corner to the kitchen and saw Rarity holding Steward's hooves, a cup of tea being held in her magic.

"I understand your feelings, Miss Rarity, this is not an ideal situation. If there was one signature word I could use to describe you, it would be strong. In my lifetime, between fierce warriors and leaders of all sorts, you are one of the strongest mares I have met. I believe you will not only get through this, but become a champion in your efforts to do Equestria proud."

Even though Twilight wasn't happy about having the butler with them, she had to admit, he was a very kind person. Her lips turned up to a smile before getting back to work.


End file.
